Arizona Opera's New, $5.2M Center Opens on Central Avenue

Arizona Opera opened its new $5.2M, 28,000 SF Opera Center on Central Avenue in Phoenix.

The building project, in partnership with the City of Phoenix, included two phases. Phase 1 houses an intimate black box performance venue, rehearsal space, and orchestra loft and patron viewing gallery. General contractor was Brignall Construction; architect was Motley Design Group.

Phase 2 features administrative offices, box office, costume, wig and make-up shops, as well as educational and meeting facilities. Phase 2 made adaptive re-use of the previous Walsh Brothers building.

The Opera Center joins other cultural venues such as Phoenix Art Museum, the Heard Museum and Phoenix Theatre in the “uptown” arts district, which is easily accessible via METRO Light Rail.

The Opera’s Opera Center, was built in partnership with the City of Phoenix, which provided $3.2M in city bond funds.

“We are thrilled to have found such a perfect location for our new home, near our sister arts organizations and directly on the light-rail route,” said Scott Altman, general director of Arizona Opera.

The first full opera production will be held in April 2014 in the black box theater, while rehearsals, master classes and workshops will be held in the theater as early as April.

Arizona Opera will continue to present main stage productions in Tucson Music Hall and Symphony Hall Phoenix.

About Peter Madrid

Peter Madrid has more than 30 years of experience in the newspaper industry as an editor and reporter at USA Today, Kansas City Star, Tucson Citizen and Arizona Republic. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico.